Kia ora and welcome to the October edition of We are OPAIC 

In this month’s issue, we share some impressive student accomplishments, tell you all about our recent Orientation activities, recap our latest employability initiatives, and much more. 

Talk of the Campus

Upcoming events

We have a wide range of events lined up for students this Study Block. Our next event is the LinkedIn Lounge taking place in Room 205 at 12.10pm tomorrow. On Friday, we'll go Ten-Pin Bowling at Metrolanes. Other events to look forward to this Study Block include Diwali, a Rangitoto Hike, and our Student Christmas Party. Check out all the events and sign up via this webpage. 

New faces on campus

It was great to see so many new faces at Orientation as we met our final intake of learners for 2023. Learners were introduced to all of the OPAIC teams of staff. They also took part in a campus tour and an IT induction, heard about the Employability services we have on offer here at OPAIC, and then met their lecturers during an Academic Orientation. Read more here.

Academic success session well attended

Just prior to Orientation, we held a special academic success session to get our incoming students ready for their new study environment. The event held in Room 700 was a big success with more than 45 new students attending and enjoying the session. 

Construction student competes in national event

An OPAIC student teamed up with some of the brightest minds from around the country to design a climate-resilient community last month. Bachelor of Construction student Guangchi (David) Wu took part in the ArchEngBuild event in Wellington. ArchEngBuild is a three-day event where 30 of New Zealand’s best architecture, engineering, and construction management students work together on construction projects. Read all about it here.

IT students collaborate on real-world project 

A team of Information Technology students has successfully completed a project that would allow St Pierre’s Sushi to print its labels onsite. The project was completed by IT students Kazuhisa Kondo, Jack Lam, and Nischal Bhandari under the guidance of Lecturers Teong Tan (Boon) and Barry Dowdeswell. The team created a label-printing system which can be operated by a tablet. Eventually, it should replace the need for hand-written labels. Read all about it here.

Artificial Intelligence and your study

With the new block upon us, we’d like to remind you of the place of ChatGPT and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your studies. OPAIC Academic Director, Sean Bell, answers some questions you might have about the use of AI in this article on the Student Hub.

Site visits for construction learners

Students had the opportunity to visit not just one but two residential building sites as part of their learning in the Construction Technology Small Buildings course. They got to observe elements of timber-framed structures including framing, cladding, insulation, excavation and drain laying. Read all about it here.

Celebrating diverse cultures

Our Improving Organisational Performance class decided to wear ethnic dress from their home countries to celebrate culture and diversity to mark the last day of the study block. The students from Nepal, China, and India enjoyed having the chance to show off their culture.  

Employability Corner

Portable Power NZ project launched with Applied Management students

The Employability Services and Applied Management team celebrates four Applied Management learners, who have successfully secured internship positions at Portable Power NZ. The learning and work-integrated project team includes our Master of Applied Management students, Ann Ivy Cabanero, Karl Ipong, Mohak Sharma and Vikas Rawat. This project is a great opportunity for our learners as it transforms ideas into real-world impact, focused on creating a sustainable future. Read more here.

Staff and students attend international student conference

Our OPAIC Employability team and learners had an incredible experience at the 2023 New Zealand International Students' Association (NZISA) Conference. The conference's central theme, 'Unlocking Your Potential,' resonated deeply with our mission at OPAIC. The core objective of the conference was to provide students with the opportunity to feel empowered, network, and gain fresh insights into leadership and the job culture in New Zealand. It was also a chance for professionals to understand international students' challenges and barriers and explore how they can collaborate with NZISA to enhance the overall student experience. Read more here.

Green Office End of Block Event 

As we wrapped up Study Block 3, the Green Office Toitū committee hosted an end-of-block event to celebrate and thank our volunteers who made some of our work in sustainability possible over the last few months.  We invited our AIC learners to join us for some fun and pizza as we shared our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to our sustainability initiatives. Read all about the event here.

GOT Staff Dive into Auckland Climate Festival for sustainability insights

During the block break, Sonny, Patricia and Dani attended Political Panel: Building a Regenerative Tāmaki Makaurau & Aotearoa, hosted by B Local Tāmaki Makaurau at GridAKL. GOT staff immersed themselves in the event, eagerly listening to the ideas and plans put forth by the political representatives. Read all about it here.

New Staff

Dr Duaa Zuhair Al-Hamid is a new sessional lecturer in the IT Team at OPAIC and visiting scholar at AUT. She obtained her PhD in electrical and electronic engineering from AUT in 2023. Her research interests include wireless communications, software defined wireless networks, IoT, and wireless sensor networks. She is currently teaching Introduction to Networks at OPAIC.